MSM 605 Luisa Harris-Stewart - From Minter City to the Olympics

Lusia Harris-Stewart grew up in Minter City, Mississippi, the tenth of eleven children. In this episode, taken from her 1999 oral history interview, she recalls how her love of basketball grew from a way to escape chores, to a way to attend college. Her standout abilities as a player on the Amanda Elzy High School girls' basketball team caught the attention of Delta State recruiter, Melvin Hemphill, and she was invited to join the women's team, in 1973. For Harris-Stewart, adjusting to life at Delta State included overcoming her shyness. She remembers the support of her fellow students as the women's basketball team rose to prominence, becoming national champions in 1975, '76, and '77. In 1976, Harris-Stewart won a silver medal in the first-ever Olympic women's basketball tournament.  She discusses the historical significance of scoring the first points in Olympic history.   After graduating college in 1977, Harris-Stewart coached basketball at the college level and played professional ball before returning to her high school alma mater as a coach and teacher. She recounts her career and the honor of being inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. This episode of Mississippi Moments was researched by Sean Buckelew and produced by Ross Walton, with narration by Bill Ellison. PHOTO: NBA.com